


Where Love Blooms

by ScarletWinter2478



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Light Adventure, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-03
Updated: 2017-06-03
Packaged: 2018-11-08 16:33:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11085549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarletWinter2478/pseuds/ScarletWinter2478
Summary: James "Bucky" Barnes has found a nice little place to lay low; working nights at a nearby warehouse, everything is going smoothly. That is until Lily "Grace" Bradford moves into the apartment across the hall from his.  She has been having a run of bad luck that seems to have followed her to her new 'home.'  Will James follow his number one rule to "not get involved"?  She has an ex-boyfriend who likes to push her around and he has an ex-lover who wants him back.  And together they have something that a shady character wants back.Will circumstances allow their love to bloom?  Or will fate keep them apart?  Time will tell...





	1. Chapter One -Love Blooms

**Author's Note:**

> This is a very short little story that I happen to love. It may be slightly difficult to follow the James vs Bucky story a the beginning, but it is really pretty simple. 
> 
> *Warning* There are a few moments where domestic abuse is hinted at, but nothing explicit. There are a couple of sexually charged scenes but again, nothing too explicit.

Standing on the tiny balcony outside his 2nd floor apartment, Bucky (James as he was calling himself these days) leaned against the wall, smoking a cigarette. He had been watching her for about 5 minutes as she struggled with a flat tire. He didn't want to get involved. She had already knocked on his door twice this week. Once to ask if he had any sugar to spare, and once with a plate of cookies she had made using the sugar someone else had given her.

"Shit!" she yelped as her hand slipped again. Grace looked up and saw him standing there, but he did not acknowledge her. Heaving a sigh, she turned back to tackle the uncooperative lug nuts again.

Five more minutes and two scraped knuckles later, she was sitting on the ground, leaning against her car, searching the blades of grass for some answer to her predicament. When Bucky spoke, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Let me do it." He took the tool from her hand and had the tire off in no time. He got the spare from the trunk and put it in place with the ease of changing a light bulb. Through it all, he didn't say another word.

Grace watched him closely, admiring his handsome profile and broad shoulders. She wanted to help, but having no idea what she could do, she just tried to stay out of his way. Once he had finished and stowed everything away, he closed the trunk and started to walk away. She grabbed his arm saying, "James, please. Let me pay you or at least say thank you!"

Bucky looked directly at her for the first time since he had left his balcony. "Damn," he thought, "she really is pretty. Even with that smear of grease on her cheek." He answered her with a grumbled "No. It's okay. You need to take that tire and get it fixed. Have them put some air in your spare." Again, he turned to go. Grace couldn't think of what she had done to make him dislike her. Everyone else in the building was so friendly. She called after him, "Okay... thank you James."

He stopped and spoke over his shoulder, "Those cookies were good. I wouldn't mind a few more of those." He immediately regretted those words, but he felt like he was being a complete jerk, and he honestly didn't want to hurt her feelings, so he had to say something.

She smiled after him as he went inside. "Well," she thought to herself, "that's something." She climbed into her car and drove off to work, humming along with the radio.

 

Bucky returned to his apartment and tried not to think about her. He had been up for hours and needed to get some sleep. He lowered the blinds and pulled the curtains together, making the room as dark as possible. He undressed and stretched out on his bed, lying on his back, staring at the ceiling. He didn't mind working at the warehouse, and in truth his hours were somewhat of a blessing. Everyone else in the building was heading off to work or whatever, shortly after he got home in the mornings. It made it easier for him to keep his distance. He usually sat on the balcony and watched them all leave, all but the old man on the first floor. He didn't do much of anything other than sit out front in his rocker. 

Bucky had lived in this building for about five months. It was a pretty quiet neighborhood in a fair to nice area of the city. He earned enough to pay rent, utilities, keep plenty of food on hand and piece by piece he had gathered enough furniture to get by. He didn't want to get too friendly with any of his neighbors. Friends tended to ask questions and he wasn't interested in sharing his story with anyone. Everything had been going smoothly until three weeks ago when 'she' moved in across the hall from him. She lived there by herself, which Bucky found odd for some reason. She was very pretty, friendly to a fault and she worked at a bank, which he assumed meant she was trustworthy and smart as well.

 

The day she moved in, she showed up in a truck loaded to the brim, and with a couple of girlfriends with their SUV'S loaded up as well. It was a Saturday afternoon and most of the other tenants were out doing their weekend errands and what not. Only the before mentioned Mr. Peterson on the first floor and Mandy...or Mindy or was it Candy? from the 4th floor seemed to be home. Bucky heard them as they toted up box after box from their cars. They talked and giggled and whispered loudly, getting a little noisier after each trip down and back up again. When it suddenly got quiet, Bucky looked out his window to see the three of them studying the front door, apparently trying to figure out how they should tackle moving the larger pieces of furniture in. There was a small elevator and a set of stairs in the front and back of the building. He groaned and headed down to help them. If he didn't, it would probably take them all day and surely one of them would get hurt in the process.

As he walked towards them, Grace's friend Katie spotted him and spoke up, "Hello there big man!! Please tell us you have come to help!" Bucky lifted the corners of his mouth in a somewhat pained smile, but nodded slightly, "Well, it looks like you could use a hand, if that's ok?" All three women said at once "Sure!"

Suddenly remembering her manners, Grace offered her hand to him and said, "Oh! I'm Grace. Lily Grace Bradford. But you can call me Grace. Or you can call me Lily. I answer to both. But please don't call me Lily Grace. That's what my mama always called me when I was in trouble." Bucky shook her hand, guessing that she probably got called Lily Grace a lot, and not knowing what else to say, he said the first thing that came to his mind "Lily? Like the flower?"

She smiled brightly at him, "Yes, like the flower. And these are my friends Katie and Gillian. We really appreciate your help... Mr.:..."

"...James. James Brown..."

"Oh! Like the singer?"

Bucky didn't know who James Brown was, but he nodded and said, "Let's get started, shall we?"

She didn't have a lot of furniture. A bed and dresser; a couch and comfy looking easy chair; a small dining table and 4 chairs. There were a few other pieces and one in particular that caught Bucky's attention. It was a sewing machine. The kind you pump with your foot to operate. His mother had had one very similar to this one. Grace saw him admiring it and said, "Isn't it beautiful? It belonged to my great grandmother. I think it still works, but I use it for decoration." Bucky just nodded his approval.

After the truck was emptied and the furniture was placed, Grace and her friends thanked him profusely and offered to buy him dinner. They were going to return the truck they had rented and pick up a few more boxes of 'stuff' that there hadn't been had room for on their first trip over, then stop for pizza. Although he had to admit to himself that he found the three of them quite amusing, he didn't want to give the wrong impression. "No. No thanks. I've got other plans. You ladies enjoy the rest of your day." With that, he left them whispering and giggling as he retreated to his apartment. There were only eight units in his building, two on each of the four floors. Each apartment ran the whole depth of the building from front to back, separated by a wide hallway between them. He shook his head wondering how he managed to get the bubbly ray of sunshine as his neighbor. After that day, he had tried very hard to avoid her. No sense in going there...

 

Bucky was just about to doze off when he heard someone pounding on the door across the hall. He pulled the pillow over his head, trying to drown out the noise, with no success. He tried to ignore it, but that didn't work either. Finally, he got out of bed, walked to his door and pulling it open he stepped halfway into the hall, wearing only his boxers and keeping his left arm out of sight.

"Hey man! Stop with the racket. She's not there."

The tall muscular blonde turned to stare at him with disapproval.

"Is that right? And just how do you know?"

Bucky rubbed his face in annoyance. "I know because I saw her leave about 40 minutes ago."

The stranger asked, "So, where did she go?"

Bucky stared at the guy now, wondering just who this jackass was. "I assume she went to work. She leaves about the same time each morning and comes back around the same time in the evening. That sounds like 'work' to me. What do you think?"

"I'll tell you what I think. I think she is a sneaky little bitch who took things that weren't hers when she ran off in the middle of the night. I think she better return my calls and return my property or there will be hell to pay."

Bucky didn't like this guy already.

"Look man, all I know is that she's not home now and won't be for hours. I need to get some sleep and you need to take off."

The man looked at Bucky, giving him a nasty smile and said, "Fine. I'll be back later."

Bucky mumbled, "I can hardly wait," as he closed his door.

 

When Grace pulled up in front of the apartment building, she saw Kevin sitting in his car and she almost drove away. She had been late for work because of the flat tire, which made her boss unhappy. Two different customers that day had issues with their accounts that she could not take care of on her own and had to seek out a co-worker to assist, which had made him unhappy. She had twisted her ankle hurrying back to the office after lunch, because God knows she couldn't be late twice in one day, and that pain had made her unhappy. She had really been looking forward to getting home, sitting on her balcony and nursing an ice cold coke...And now this.

She didn't think she was up to another argument with her ex-boyfriend, but she didn't have anywhere else to go. She parked in the small lot next to her building and got out of the car. Glancing up at James' balcony, she was disappointed that he wasn't there. She hoped that he hadn't gone to work yet, believing she might be much safer if he was around.

Bucky got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He walked to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee, then glanced out the window and saw Grace leaning against her car, seemingly in no hurry to come inside. He watched as she suddenly straightened up and headed toward the building, limping slightly.

"Not my business" he mumbled as he dropped a couple of pieces of bread in the toaster, grabbed some instant oatmeal and a bowl from the cupboard. He walked back to his bedroom, pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, before he opened the curtains and blinds. There they were, Lily Grace and the asshole from that morning, having a heated conversation. 

Bucky wanted to turn away, but he couldn't. He watched as Mr. A-Hole grabbed her by the arm and roughly pulled her close. It was obvious that she wanted him to let go, but apparently the guy was as stupid as he was annoying. Mr. A-Hole kept wagging a finger in Grace's face, becoming more and more threatening and animated with each passing moment. Bucky could feel the blood starting to rush through his veins...the first buds of anger starting to bloom.

"No,' he chided himself. "Not my business. Stay out of it." He put on his shoes and a long sleeved shirt, and then headed back to the kitchen to finish his breakfast. A few minutes later, he heard loud voices coming from the floor above. "What now?" he grumbled, getting up from the table and walking to the door. He put his hand on the knob and waited. More loud voices, closer this time, along with sounds of a struggle. He hesitated until he heard her voice and then he pulled the door open. 

Grace was rubbing her arm and Bucky could clearly see the red mark on her face. Mr. A-Hole was in a standoff with Mark and Justin, the gay couple that lived on the third floor. Mark had his hand balled up in a fist and Justin was poised to swing a baseball bat, presumably at Mr. A-Holes' head. Grace was pleading with the two of them to calm down, assuring them that she was okay.

Kevin noticed Bucky in the doorway and said, "Hey you. Care to give me a hand here? These two have gone bat-shit crazy and really need to mind their own business." Bucky just stared at him. Mark relaxed his hand saying "I think you better go now." Justin nodded in agreement adding, "Yes. You better go and don't come back. If I see your car out front again, I'll break windows first and ask questions later." Again Kevin looked to Bucky saying "Do you hear this? I really don't like being threatened. All this over a simple misunderstanding." Bucky raised his eyebrows and looked unconvinced.

"Lily Grace knows that I would never really hurt her. I just want my things back, that's all."

Gaping at him in total disbelief, Grace spoke, "Kevin, for the last time. I don't have your tablet. I don't have your toolbox. I don't have anything that belongs to you."

"If you don't have them, why won't you let me come in and take a look?"

"Because, Kevin, after all this time, you should trust me enough to believe me. And I don't want you in my apartment touching my things."

Sucking in a deep breath, he said, "Okay, Okay. I'll go for now." He straightened his tie and made a move towards Grace. Bucky's whole body tensed, ready to crush the man's throat if he touched her again. Instead, Kevin bent to pick up his keys, and then looked at Grace, "Until next time sweetheart." She grabbed Justin's arm before he could swing the bat, as Kevin left the three of them standing in the hallway.

Mark lightly touched Grace on the cheek saying "Let's get some ice on that," and they turned to look at James to thank him for putting in an appearance, but he had already gone back in and closed his door. Noticing the disappointment on her face, Justin said, "Oh, don't worry Gracie. He'll come around. I'm pretty sure he won't let that devil of an ex mistreat you. Not while he is around." She shook her head, "I don't know about that. I don't think he likes me very much. And besides, I have you two, who needs him?"

Mark and Justin exchanged a glance and Justin said, "Listen, why don't you get yourself cleaned up and join Mark and me for dinner. I don't think you should be by yourself right now." Thinking he was probably right, Grace nodded and told them she would be right up. 

 

In her apartment, she changed clothes, ran her fingers through her short, spikey blonde hair and tried to cover up the welt on her cheek, without making it look even worse. Stepping out into the hallway, she closed the door and used her key to engage the deadbolt. Turning around, she saw James standing in his doorway, watching her. Neither of them spoke until he finally asked, "Are you ok?"

Grace looked down the hall, then back at James, noticing, not for the first time, what an amazing shade of blue his eyes were. She knew what he was thinking. It was written all over his face and she had heard it all before, more than once. "Yes, I'm fine."

In fact, Bucky DID have a few things he would like to say to her, mostly about her choice of boyfriends. However, she looked like she may have had more than enough for one day, so he simply said, "Good." as he nodded and walked away, needing to run a couple of errands before going to work. She watched him go, wondering why she even cared what he thought.

 

A few days later, Grace stopped by the library around the corner and a few blocks down from the apartment. She wandered up and down the aisles, stopping now and then to pull a book off the shelf and flip through the pages. She loved coming here, losing herself in the quiet, the smell of old paper, turning the pages in a book that had been undisturbed for months or even years. She came upon a copy of The Forgotten Door by Alexander Key. It had been a favorite of hers as a child. With a grin she took it from the shelf and walked to the 'reading' area of the library. There were several large leather chairs and a couple of well worn couches, just perfect for curling up with a good book. She spotted one empty space and was set on sitting there and reading for a little while. She stepped over several pairs of legs, being careful not to disturb anyone. Easing into the empty char, she looked around to see if she recognized anyone. She found herself gazing into a familiar pair of beautiful blue eyes. The faintest whisper of a smile crossed his face and James nodded at her without saying a word. Smiling back, she opened her book and sat back to read. She felt his eyes on her and she raised her eyes, turning her head slowly to give him a chance to look away. He didn't. His eyes gleamed and he smiled again, this time a little wider and little longer. Grace smiled too, and then turned back to her book, angry with herself for blushing like a school girl. A while later, as she was nearing the end of the book, a shadow fell over her and she looked up to see James standing there. 

"It's getting late. I'm heading home and wondered if you would like to walk back with me?"

Grace looked around to see how empty the library had become and noticed that it was starting to get dark outside. She stood and placed her book in the return box saying "Yes, thank you. That would be nice."

They walked along at a leisurely pace, saying little as they enjoyed the gentle evening breeze and the various scents of food wafting from the small outdoor café's they passed along the way. As they turned onto their street, their hands brushed together and both said, "Sorry." Neither of them were. They passed several people who smiled and greeted them kindly, wishing them a good night. Bucky was confused and asked her "Who are these people?" Grace laughed and said, "These are all people from our neighborhood. How do you not know that? "I guess.. I don't know," he shrugged and smiled a goofy smile at her.

Reaching their building, they climbed the stairs to the second floor and after they had each unlocked their door, Grace said, "Thank you for walking home with me. I would probably still be sitting there if you hadn't got my attention..."

Bucky nodded, "Sure, any time."

Grace wanted to say something else, just to keep him there for a little while longer, but she couldn't think of anything that wouldn't seem obvious. She sighed, "Well, good night James."

"Good night Grace..." He looked at her, his eyes clearly offering to stay if she really wanted him to. One of those Bible verses she had memorized as a child popped into her mind... "Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." She smiled to herself, thinking how fitting that it was from the book of James. With a shaky breath and one last smile, she entered her apartment and closed the door softly, then leaned against it while she waited for her heart to stop racing.

 

The next day was Sunday. Grace was up and out early, attending church, then stopping at the grocery store on her way home. As usual, she tried to carry more bags than she should at one time and was just about to drop half of them when she felt an arm reach around her and catch the bottom of the straying bags.

"Oh!!" She squeaked in surprise. Bucky leaned into her from behind taking the bags from her, then held her elbow and guided her up the rest of the stairs. Once inside her apartment, he lingered a while as she put away the cold items and dumped the rest onto the counter to put away later.

He walked slowly towards the door saying, "I guess I better take off now. Enjoy the rest of your day."

Grace joined him in the hall. "Thanks again for your help. You seem to be my guardian angel the past few days."

Bucky, his eyes having been fixed on her lips as she spoke, now focused on her eyes, "I'm no angel, and I don't think you really want me to be."

She wasn't sure how to respond to that. "James... I..." he leaned in slowly, closing the space between their lips to inches. She could feel the warmth of his breath, the heat of his body as it almost touched hers. Her bottom lip trembled slightly in expectation. He smiled broadly and kissed her on the forehead. "I'll find you later, kitten."

He turned and walked away, saluting Justin who had been watching them from the far end of the hall. Grace, still shaken, turned to see him approaching her with a look of utter amazement on his face.

"What... what was that?"

"Nothing. That was...nothing."

Justin smiled at her and said, "Oh. Okay then" and left her standing at her door.

 

Bucky walked with no particular destination in mind. Damn. Damn. Damn! What was his number one rule? DON'T GET INVOLVED!! He had enough problems of his own. He didn't need to take on another one. Especially one that came with some obvious baggage. He stopped walking and looked around to get his bearings, having gone quite a bit further than he had intended. He was in front of a convenience store, so he decided to grab a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. If the crumbling sidewalk and scattered trash in the street hadn't convinced him that he had strayed from his neighborhood, the clientele inside the store certainly would have. Everyone, from the youngest to the oldest customer, to the man behind the counter looked angry. Tired. Haunted. He purchased his items quickly and left without a word to anyone.

After the first couple of blocks, he knew he was being followed. He stopped to pull a cigarette from the new pack. Cupping his hand around the flame of the lighter, he tilted his head in the direction the sound had come from. Two of them. Maybe three. Spotting a splintered board leaning against the building, he grabbed it and rested it against his shoulder, like a baseball player. Continuing his walk, looking completely at ease, he stepped off the curb and swung the board around, surprising the wannabe thugs and knocking one to his knees. Raising his free hand, pointing at the two who were left standing with shocked expressions, he said, "You don't want to do this." Hoping that would be enough, but pretty sure their wounded prides wouldn't let it be.

The larger of the two pulled a knife and moved in to strike. Bucky easily deflected his attempt and knocked the guy to the ground. Before he could turn around, the 3rd man went low, going for his knees and taking Bucky by surprise, but not doing any serious damage and certainly not getting the desired result...that man retreated . The first attacker wouldn't give up so easily. Back on his feet, he took a swing at Bucky, who avoided the punch and grabbed the guy's hand, squeezing and twisting until the man fell on his knees.

"Stay down."

The guy looked at Bucky, eyes full of hatred and fear. Shaking his head, Bucky repeated himself, "Stay. Down." With that, he released his grip and turned away. He leaned the board back against the building, spotted his cigarette rolling on the sidewalk and crushed it out. He turned to see all three men quickly walking in the opposite direction. Heaving a sigh he continued his walk home.

 

Before he even reached the 2nd floor, he could hear the loud voices coming from Grace's apartment. The sound of something crashing to the floor, followed by more loud voices then quiet. Bucky huffed out a deep breath, chewing on his bottom lip. He unlocked his door, pushing it wide open and leaving it that way. Walking to the kitchen, he poured himself a glass of water and chugged it down, then returned to stand watch, leaning on the door jam. Waiting. Minutes passed. Still quiet. Maybe too quiet? He stared at her door, imagining what was happening on the other side. As if wishing made it so, the door opened to reveal Kevin with his arm tight around Grace, pulling her even closer when he saw James standing there. He even went so far as planting a possessive kiss on her bruised lips. He shot a sick grin at Bucky then released Grace, who stumbled backwards as Kevin took his leave. 

Bucky watched as the man retreated down the hall, disappearing down the stairs. He thought he hadn't felt so much hate since the day he had seen his own story on display at the Smithsonian. Looking at Grace, he was angry. Not so much at her, but with the whole situation. 

Graced moved to close her door, she couldn't look James in the eye. That's when he saw the tiny trickle of blood at the corner of mouth. Something snapped. He took 3 big steps from his door to hers, grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her across the hall into his apartment, slamming the door and pressing her hard against the wall.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Why do you let him do this? Why don't you do whatever it takes to make him stop this shit? Are you that afraid of him? Then why do you always let him in?" Bucky was holding her wrists against the wall as he pressed his body hard against hers. He could see the shock in her eyes, but he couldn't stop himself.

"Or maybe... you like it? Is that it? Do you like it rough? Because I can do you rough all night long. As rough as you want for as long as you want." Grace was breathing hard, but not fighting him, which made him even angrier. He grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her away from the wall so he could kiss her, a crushing, desperate kiss, teeth clattering, his tongue plunging into her mouth, seeking a response. She whimpered softly and Bucky froze. Dear God, what was he doing? He loosened his grip on her and gently pressed his forehead against hers, whispering "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to... I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm sorry..." Grace lifted her head to look him in the eyes, "That's funny. That's what HE always used to say."

That hurt. That really hurt. Bucky took hold of her upper arms and ground out softly, "Don't compare me to him. I'm nothing like him." Something happened then, as he pulled her in for another kiss. This time, it was different. Sweet, Hungry. Honest. Grace felt it, the change that had come over him. She felt his desire to have her, to be with her, not to hurt or own her. He was tender but insistent. She couldn't stop her own passion from rising in response. His mouth left hers to whisper in her ear, "I want you so bad. Tell me to stop, now. Or I may not be able to." She didn't want him to stop. She shook her head and whispered back, "Don't stop."

 

Bucky groaned and walked her backwards to his bedroom, kissing and undressing her along the way. He laid her on the bed and pulled his shirt off, expecting her to react to his metal arm. But instead she unsnapped his jeans and pulled the zipper down, urging him on. He made love to her then, urgent, fiercely passionate, intense, and hungry. Afterwards, he held her close and for the first time in a very long time, she felt safe.

 

They dozed for a while and when Grace grew restless in her sleep, Bucky woke her with a kiss. She opened her eyes and asked, "Did you wake me up?"

"Yes. You looked like you were having a bad dream."

She rolled on her side to face him. "mmm..." she purred sleepily, closing her eyes. After 15 or 20 seconds she asked, "Are you looking at me?"

"No."

Grace opened her eyes to see him staring at her.

"ooops.." he smiled at her with no shame.

"Well gee, I'm wide awake now. So what are we going to do?" she teased.

"I've got an idea" he growled as he rolled her onto her back and started exploring, teasing, ravishing every inch of her body, making her giggle uncontrollably.

"Woman. Your laughter does nothing to enhance my self confidence."

"Sorry," she smiled at him. "It's the whiskers." She rubbed her fingers across the thick scruff on his cheeks.

"Oh... now I'm the one who's sorry." He rubbed his hand down his chin and neck. "I could shave."

"No... don't do that. I like it."

"You do, huh? Let me see..." He rubbed his chin softly across her belly then kissed his way up and between her breasts, pausing to kiss those sweet peaks, then up her neck stopping just as he reached her mouth. Again and again he teased her, barely brushing her lips then pulling away, out of reach, prompting Grace to lock her arms around his neck, pulling him close. This time their lovemaking was slow, sweet and delicious, deliberate and incredibly satisfying.

 

Grace woke up around 3:30 and sat up in bed. She looked at James, sleeping so peacefully and her heart ached for the loss of him. She slipped out of bed and searched around the floor for her clothes. Dressing as quickly as she could she didn't notice that he was awake and watching her, with a look of confusion.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going home."

"Wha...uh... Why? You can sleep here."

"No. No, I can't. I need to go." She sat on the edge of the bed saying, "I can't find one of my shoes."

"Grace. What's going on?"

He was so gorgeous with the moonlight streaming across his body, his long hair framing his face like a lion's mane. She didn't want to do this, but felt certain that it was what needed to be done. "This was a mistake. A huge mistake."

"Wait... I don't think so. I was THERE, and it sure didn't FEEL like a mistake."

"I'm sorry James. This can't happen again"

"Do I get any say in this decision?" he asked helplessly.

"No. No you really don't. This didn't happen. It just, didn't happen."

Bucky felt like his head was going to explode. "So what are you going to do? Run back to that asshole who beats you and treats you like shit?"

Grace was trying very hard not to cry. She gritted her teeth and said, "I think you need to mind your own business... Mr. BARNES. That is your real name, isn't it? You mind your business and I'll mind mine. How does that sound?"

Bucky wasn't surprised that she had figured it out, but he was angry that she was using that knowledge to try to hurt him.

"You are crazy. Do you know that? No wonder..." he stopped himself from saying it, but Grace knew what he was thinking. She spotted her other shoe, picked it up and without another word, walked out, slamming the door on her way.

Bucky got up and walked to the living room. He stared at the door for a long time, trying to figure out what the hell had just happened.

 

MUSICK CHOICE: Who's Crying Now? - - Journey

 

   
They spent the next couple of days avoiding each other, only passing in the hall once, neither of them speaking. Bucky was pissed. Pissed at Grace for getting so completely under his skin, worming her way into his... No. Yes. Somehow she had managed to crack that shell in just the few short weeks since they had met. But mostly he was pissed at himself for letting it happen. As if he had any choice in the matter. He was watching her as she played stickball with several kids on their cul-de-sac, the sound of her laughter making him smile despite his attempt to not care. He considered his choices. Continue this childish game of not speaking? Or find a way to at least try to work things out? A thought from out of the blue prompted him to walk out back to the vacant lot beyond the fence. It was overgrown with tall grass and covered with flowers of some kind. He picked a handful of them and went back inside, leaving them next to Grace's door.

After their game was over, Grace shooed the kids off to their own houses, then stopped to visit with Mr. Peterson for a few minutes. She really didn't want to go inside. Her apartment was hot and stuffy no matter what temperature she set the thermostat on. However, when the bugs started biting, she gave up and went in. At her door, she stooped down to pick up the anonymous gift, grinning, she entered her apartment. The next few days, she never knew where the flowers would show up next. Several times they where there when she opened her door to leave, or when she got home from work or shopping. Once they were on the windshield of her car. There was never any note and no one owned up to giving them, but she was pretty sure she knew who it was.

 

On Friday morning, all the tenants woke up to stifling heat. The entire A/C system had blown and the temp was climbing higher and higher. The building super dropped by to make sure that everyone had at least a couple of fans to keep the air moving in their apartments. It didn't take any of them very long to figure out that if they propped their doors open, the cross wind from one side of the building to other helped cool things down a few degrees. Grace caught James watching her from his open door more than once. Neither of them said anything. They didn't need to.

 

Saturday proved to be another scorcher. The repair man had yet to arrive to fix the air conditioning so Grace spent a good part of the day at the library – no sign of James - and another chunk of time at the local shops. That night, as the sun was going down, she threw a couple of Cokes and some ice into a small cooler and took a blanket and her phone to the roof. Most people in the building either didn't know or didn't care that they had access to the flat roof top. She parked herself near the edge, spreading her blanket to sit on and leaning back against the short wall that bordered the entire roof. She had a couple of games on her phone, but lost interest in those pretty quickly as she felt the stirrings of a breeze. It was a warm breeze but still, it felt good against her hot skin that had been moist with perspiration for the better part of three days. 

Bucky hadn't seen Grace all day. He had worked a double shift and didn't get home until sometime after 5:00 pm. He stopped to check on Mr. Peterson and found the man had plugged in his own window unit and was sticking close to it with a cooler filled with ice, water and plenty of beer. He offered Bucky one, but he declined and headed to his own apartment for a nice long, COOL shower. The first thing he noticed was that Grace's door was closed. Probably went to one of her girlfriends' houses to get some relief from the heat. After his shower he ate a light meal and before he laid down to try to get some sleep, he checked her door again. Still closed. No biggie. A few hours later he woke up soaked in sweat and debated taking another shower, but decided to wait The sun had set and it should start to cool off soon. He grabbed his cigarettes and walked to the kitchen for a bottle of water. He intended to go to the balcony, but could not resist taking one more look across the hall. Still closed. On a whim, he walked over and knocked softly. No sound from inside. He started to knock again when he heard someone clearing their throat. Turning, he saw Mark standing at the end of the hall, looking as if he wanted to say something, but wasn't sure if he should. Bucky figured if anyone in the building would know where she was, it would be Mark & Justin. He walked to him asking "Hey, Mark. Any idea where Grace is?" 

"Yes, I DO have an idea. But why should I tell you? I understand you gave her a pretty hard time the other night."

Bucky wondered aloud, "Does she tell you two EVERYTHING?" Mark gave him a knowing look, but before he could say anything, Bucky said, "Never mind. I probably don't want to know the answer to that. Look, I just want to talk to her. Can you help me out?"

Nodding slowly, Mark pointed up and said "The roof." Bucky looked at him like he didn't understand. Mark tried again, "She's on the roof. Been up there for about 30 minutes." 

"Okay... Thanks man." Mark nodded again and walked away.

"The roof..." Bucky had to hand it to her, he would never have thought of looking there. A few minutes later he climbed the stairs and stepped out to join her. The first thing that hit him was the breeze. Soft and steady. Nice. The next thing he noticed was Grace, lying on her back, knees bent and swaying from side to side in time with some unheard beat in her mind. He walked over to where she lay and stared down at her. 

"I was worried about you."

"Really? Well, as you can see, I am perfectly fine."

It sounded like a dismissal. Bucky nodded, "Right. I didn't mean to disturb you."

He turned to go and she called after him, "Wait. Please. I wouldn't mind some company if you would like to stay for a while." Nodding, he joined her on the blanket, leaning back to rest his head close to hers. There were a few stars already visible in the night sky and Grace pointed out a couple of constellations, sharing her version of the stories behind them. He enjoyed listening to her soothing voice. He thought she would make a good teacher, or public speaker, something like that.

After a long pause, Bucky cleared his throat, "Grace, I want to apologize for the other night. I said some pretty harsh things and I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry for what I said, but not for what we did. I don't regret that at all."

"Really?" she teased, "Because I couldn't tell if you were enjoying it or not."

He turned his head to look in her eyes and said, "Stop." If there had been just a little more light, she could have seen his blush.

"I'm sorry too. Sometimes I over think things and make problems where there aren't any. I still think we just got caught up in the moment. And I'm not a big fan of letting that happen. But, I guess it wasn't too awful." She grinned at him and Bucky laughed, saying "Thanks for that."

Grace added, "And by the way, thank you for all the flowers. Where did you find them?" 

"Oh, uh, the vacant lot across the road."

"I thought so."

"Why do you ask?"

"Okay, just so you know, for future reference and all, those are actually weeds."

"What?!" Bucky was truly surprised.

"Don't get me wrong, they are very pretty and I really do appreciate the thought. But yeah, weeds, all wrapped up in a pretty package. Seems fitting doesn't it, since that pretty much describes me." 

"What? No. Don't say that."

She smiled at him, "Why not? Not saying something doesn't make it any less true."

"How are you a weed?" 

"Oh...I don't know. I guess I feel like my whole life people have never looked past this..." she waved her hand over her face and body. "And "I" can't take the credit for that, I had nothing to with it. It's what I was born with, you know? I would like to think that there is more to me than the 'pretty flower' on the outside. But honestly, when I think about who and what I really am and the things I have and haven't done, it's disappointing to say the least. Yep. I'm a weed."

Bucky was shaking his head. "You have no idea how amazing you are, do you?" She couldn't resist, "That's me alright, Amazing Grace. Somebody should write a song about me." Before he could respond, she sat up and surprised him by abruptly changing the subject, "Do you want to see something?"

He lifted his brows, "You mean something I haven't already seen?"

Grace lowered her voice, "Yes. I have something I've been wanting to show you." She jumped up and said "Come on." Bucky stood and wondered aloud "Inside? We have a blanket and a nice breeze right here." She took his hand and pulled him towards the door. "Okay Mr. One Track Mind... It's in the basement. Come with me please? I really want you to take a look at this."

"Okay then. Let's do it."

 

The basement served as a laundry room with storage cages. Grace grabbed a chair sitting next to the folding table and carried it to the back of the room. Standing on it she reached up and pushed one of the ceiling panels up and over, stretching as far as she could to reach something hidden there. Bucky was concerned she might fall and asked if he could help.

"Hang on. I've almost got it." She looked down at him staring up at her and said, "I mean really, hang on to me so I don't fall." He gladly put his hands on her hips and held on, not quite able to keep his eyes from roaming over her bare legs and those short shorts.

"Got it!!" she said and he lifted her from the chair and set her on the floor. She held something wrapped in a towel. Opening it, she bit her lip and held it out for him to see.

"No." Bucky looked at the black tablet in her hands then at her face and back at the tablet. Finally he asked "Is that... Is this the infamous missing tablet?"

"Yesss!" she hissed at him. Clearly, she was proud of herself.

He shook his head in disbelief. "You've had it all this time?" 

"Yes, but that's not the point. I want you to see something ON the tablet." Bucky rolled his head back, looking to heaven for answers, and then looked back at her saying "Okay."

Grace turned the tablet on, then entered passwords on several different screens and finally pulled up a folder marked, of all things 'Lily G'. "Watch this..." When she clicked on the file it opened and started running some kind of encrypted program. 

"It took me forever to figure out his stupid passwords..."

"Wait. Grace, WHY do you have this?" 

"Partly because I know it's eating him alive. But mostly because several months ago, he started acting really weird, all secretive and jumpy. Of course he wouldn't tell me anything, so I kept my eyes and ears open. He's involved in something big. And he knows I know. That's why he keeps coming around. I don't know what it is, but it has something to do with what is in this tablet and the toolbox."

"Toolbox? You have the toolbox too?" She smiled a cheesy smile and said "Yes I do. But first, look at this." She laid the tablet on the folding table and Bucky moved to stand beside her. "It was pretty easy to decrypt some parts of it but other parts? Not so much." She watched as he scrolled down the pages, stopping now and then to read certain parts more closely. "I've tried and tried to make sense of it all, but haven't had much luck. I still don't know what it IS, but I'm pretty sure what it isn't. It's not bank routing codes, it's not phone numbers, it's not social security numbers and it's not dates." Looking him in the eyes and touching his arm she continued, "I didn't want to get you involved in this, whatever this is. That's part of the reason I left you that morning. I have no right to ask for your help, but I don't know who else to turn to. If you want to pretend like I never showed it to you, I'll understand." 

"Right...like I'm going to let you do this alone, now that I know."

"Sorry," she mumbled softly. She still wasn't convinced she should get him involved, but who else? 

Bucky was studying a page filled with numbers. "It could be something. Or it could be nothing. Could be axes numbers. Maybe safety deposit box numbers. Locker numbers. Could be... launch codes. Grace, I have a friend, of sorts, who might be able to help. Do you trust me?"

"Yes. Do you trust me?"

"Of course."

"Are you sure? Rumor has it that I'm crazy."

He snorted and smiled at her. "I trust you."

"Well then, can I call you Bucky?"


	2. The Plot Thickens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Old friends? New friends? Friends? The plot does indeed thicken.

Sometimes life throws us a wicked curve ball. Sometimes we swing and miss. Sometimes we strike out. But sometimes, if we are lucky, we find that sweet spot. Everything lines up perfectly. We take our swing, we make a solid connection and we hit the ball out of the park. In the blink of an eye, you feel it, you know that you have done it. You have finally found that elusive little something that you have been waiting for.

 

Bucky had been thrown a lot of hard balls in his life. He had struck out over and over again. He had given up hope. He had become cynical and built a wall around himself so it appeared to the casual observer that he lived in his own little world where he cared about nothing and no one. His well crafted façade was crumbling. He could no longer pretend she didn't matter. He couldn't just walk away. He couldn't back off and mind his own business. God knew he couldn't stop thinking about Grace. Couldn't stop wanting her, NEEDING her. This little slip of a girl, with her big blue eyes, those soft pink lips, perky little nose and that crazy hair. She made him feel alive again. She made him want to BE alive again. She was infuriating and adorable at the same time. And when they had been together, his blood had burned like fire in his veins for her. She had sparked that flame and now it wouldn't go out. Bucky had tried. He tried to be angry with her. He tried to ignore her. Tried to get over the very real feeling that she was exactly what he needed in his life. Nothing worked. And now, now he had to figure out a way to get the stubborn little vixen to see things his way.

 

They had gone back to the roof to grab the things that Grace had left there and were greeted by the happy grumblings of the A/C units coming to life. Things were looking up already. When they reached their floor again, Bucky insisted on making sure that Kevin was not inside her apartment. He was genuinely concerned that the guy was going to seriously hurt Grace. If he really "knew that she knew", that made him dangerous and not just an asshole. After he had looked in every possible hiding spot, he moved to stand by her. Grace looked nervous. Pulling her backwards into his arms, he rested his hands on top of hers. 

Holding her close, he spoke softly, "I can stay if you want."

His body was warm and strong and felt so good, Grace allowed herself to relax and lean back into him, at least for a few precious moments. It was such sweet torture, this feeling of belonging, even when she believed it was nothing more than a fantasy. She had always been pretty level headed. But this man, he had some dark power that seemed to diminish her ability to resist temptation. Did she want him to stay? Of course she did. Desperately. Should she allow herself to fall prey to his charms?...

"What do you say? I'll be good, I promise." Bucky's voice in her ear was full of promise, of all kinds.

Her only response was to shake her head no.

"Grace. I want to stay." Putting his lips on her ear he sighed softly, "I want to stay and I know that you want me to." Her reply was too slow in coming, as Bucky kissed the side of her neck, deliberate, lingering kisses. He slipped his right hand to her waist and his very touch set Grace's heart to pounding. Bucky continued kissing her, his hand coming to life with a mind all its own, roaming, exploring her body... it seemed that no place was off limits and Grace was powerless to stop him, her breathing labored and her resolve melting away. She turned in his arms to face him and his lips found hers. He couldn't stop the moan of desire that rose in his throat. She smelled like apple blossoms and tasted like cherries, it was an intoxicating combination and...

"Gracie, please let me stay."

"You... You don't play fair" she managed to gasp out in response.

Bucky groaned, "Christ little kitten, haven't you figured out yet that I'm not playing?"

Pulling free from him then, she said "No. Bucky... this is not right. This is not me. I know you don't believe that. Why should you? But I don't do this. I don't fall into bed with some guy I've barely had a real conversation with. I ... I don't know what happened before. I don't know what's happening now. I just... I don't know."

Bucky bit his lip. "Did you ever stop to consider that maybe, just maybe... I'm not 'some guy'? Maybe there's something more happening here than that?" 

She smiled at him then, the saddest smile he had ever seen. "You need to go. Please Bucky, please go."

He wanted to stay. He wanted to argue. He wanted to ask her WHY? He wanted to ask her if she ever told Kevin 'to go'. But he knew asking those questions would only make things worse. He walked to the door and turned to look at her. She seemed lost and he wanted so badly to hold her and tell her everything was going to be ok...but he didn't know if that was true, so instead he asked, "Grace? What... what's in the toolbox?"

She perked up then, her eyes sparkling and a devilish grin spreading across her face. Moving to him and looking him square in the eyes she whispered, "Money. Lots of money."

Nodding his head in understanding, while his stomach did a backwards flip, Bucky sighed and asked her, "Will you promise me that you won't go out of your way to make him angry? I'm serious Grace. And don't let him in if he comes sniffing around. Will you promise me that much?"

"I'll do my best," she replied, not sounding at all convincing.

"Good night Grace."

"Good night Bucky."

 

Back in his apartment, it was still hot, but showing signs of cooling down. Bucky grabbed his cigarettes and went to the balcony to think. He didn't like this thing that Grace was caught up in. She was fooling herself if she thought that Kevin was the only player in the game. Clearly, he answered to someone else or he wouldn't be so bent out of shape over a couple of missing items. If he was the 'boss' he could just put the blame on some other poor sap. No. This was a bad situation that was very likely to get worse. If Kevin was feeling heat from above, he could very well take it out on Grace, especially since he already suspected that she had what he wanted. Damn! He called Natasha to see if she could meet him somewhere to take a look at the tablet Grace had left in his care. She was the best he knew at cracking codes. Maybe together they could at least figure out what was driving the operation.

Grace was struggling with her emotions. What she had told Bucky was true. She was never one to bed hop. That was not her style. In truth, she had been with very few men. Kevin had come into her life shortly after she had graduated from college and literally swept her off her feet. He hadn't always been the jerk he was now. In fact, back then he was quite charming. At the time he already had a very lucrative job and treated Grace to pretty much anything she desired. She honestly believed they were meant to be together and that one day they would get married and have kids. Somehow, that never seemed to happen and over the past year, everything had changed. Some nights he didn't come home, sometimes for days at a time. He never offered an excuse and when she questioned him, he would get very angry. He hadn't started physically mistreating her until about 4 months ago, but it didn't take her long to decide she had to get out. 

And now there was Bucky. She knew who he was, the things he had done as the Winter Soldier. That half the world considered him a villain, a heartless killer, while the other half thought of him as some kind of dark knight. Good or bad, whichever side he was on, it seemed everyone considered him to be dangerous. But that wasn't the man that she knew. And God in Heaven!! Why did he have such an effect on her? Yes, he was ridiculously handsome, but there was so much more. He was kind and generous and strong and gentle and funny and when he looked at her with those eyes that seemed to search her very soul, she melted. His touch was magical and the sound of his voice made her knees weak. His kisses were like some mystical aphrodisiac, eliciting such a strong response from her that she didn't even recognize herself. oh lord... What was she going to do? 

MUSIC CHOICE: "Devi's Backbone" -- The Civil Wars

  

Bucky arrived at the rundown hotel and sat in the parking lot. He was supposed to meet Natasha in 20 minutes, but he was having second thoughts. Not about her ability to decipher the codes. No he was confident that she would have a fresh perspective and ability to understand what was in the files. He was concerned about how they would react to one another. They had not been alone together for more years than he cared to remember, and their last meeting had not ended well. In fact, he still cringed at the memory of the way he had spoken to her then. 'Friends with benefits'... that was what people called it. For Bucky and Natalia (as he knew her then) it had been heavy on the benefits and much less on the friendly side. They worked well as a team and that was the catalyst of their relationship. In their profession, there was a lot of hurry up and wait time; along with a lot of just plain waiting. What does a hot blooded man in the company of a beautiful woman nearly always assume would be the best way to pass the time? Yeah, those benefits came in quite handy.

A sharp tapping on the driver's window jerked Bucky out of his reverie with a start. He rolled the window down.

"Hello James," Natasha purred in her raspy voice. "You come here often?"

"Hello Natasha. No. I've never been here. I just wanted to spare you a little bit of drive time."

"Hmmm... maybe you should have searched a little more. This place is a dump." She stated emphatically. Bucky did not respond. 

"Well," she asked him, "Are we going inside or did you want to take care of our business right here?"

Bucky caught her double entendre and grunted, "Let's go inside."

The room was small, stale and less than comfortable. It did offer a small table with a couple of cheap chairs and best of all, wi-fi service. Bucky pulled the tablet from inside his vest and opened it up. Natasha touched his hand and said, "Let me do it." She ran her fingers around the edges and across the front and back of the device. Touching the side gently, she turned the power on and quickly scanned the menu. Not finding what she was looking for there, she opened the systems file and smiled, tapping the folder she wanted. She looked at Bucky with smoldering eyes and asked if he knew the password.

"Do you really need it?" he sounded doubtful.

"No. But it makes it a lot quicker if you have it." She wasn't bragging, she really was that good. Bucky rattled off the combination of numbers and letters that Grace had given him and watched as Natasha pulled up the hidden files and opened the folder marked Lily G. She watched as the numbers started popping up...

"My, my. What have we here?" she said softly. For a few minutes she studied the screen as the info loaded and updated itself over and over again. She tapped a few keys and smiled as it took her deeper into the file.

Bucky was standing behind her, amazed once again at her ability to find a way to see the things that he never could. Natasha pointed at a column of numbers, then at another. "This is your merchandise and this is the value. It must be some pretty good stuff." It looked like the same bunch of numbers he had seen before..."Yeah" he asked, "Any idea yet what it is?"

"Hold on Solidat. You had days to study this. Give me more than a minute, OK?" Bucky grunted and moved away to sit across the table from her. He studied her face, set in deep concentration. She was a beautiful woman. Her thick mane of red hair; those beautiful green eyes that sucked you in and wouldn't let go; strong, powerful, gorgeous body; it was all enticing. She was smart and sassy and a passionate lover. Sometimes she was a friend. But sometimes, like now, he felt like he didn't know her, like he never knew her at all. And that was why they could never be more than they were. He felt a twinge of guilt. He hadn't given her a thought in all this time, not until he actually needed her help with something. He tried to think of something to make small talk... never one of his strongest suits.

Natasha glanced up to see Bucky staring at her. "See something you like? Or do you actually have something to say?"

He bit the inside of his cheek and shook his head no. Standing abruptly, he said "I'm going out for a smoke."

"Nasty habit James. And I can't imagine that this room would smell any worse if you added a little smoke to it."

"Yeah... I need some air." And with that he stepped outside. He walked to the end of the building and just around the corner where he lit a cigarette and leaned against the brick wall. After a couple of deep draws, he lifted his chin and blew smoke rings into the cooling night air. It had rained earlier and the sky was crystal clear and filled with an abundance of starlight. He turned his head to spot the constellations, and had to smile as he thought of her voice... soft, sweet, gentle, so warm and inviting... SHIT. Even with the hot, sexy and always willing Black Widow just a few steps away, he couldn't think of being with anyone but Grace. And Grace, so it seemed, was not willing. So what was stopping him? Maybe he should take advantage of the situation? It's not like he would be cheating, exactly. Bucky tossed his butt into the gravel and headed back to the room.

Natasha met him at the door. If she hadn't been so excited by what she had found, she would have noticed the look in Bucky's eyes; that look she had been waiting for. Fortunately or not, she had missed it.

"James! Take a look at this." Walking to the table, she pointed to another file she had managed to pull up from all the others hidden in the tablet.

"What am I looking at?" Bucky wanted to know, his momentary lapse in judgment behind him for the time being.

"This, my friend, is a list of pharmaceutical batch numbers. These are the manufacturers, these are the distributors and this is a list of buyers. NOT doctors, hospitals or pharmacies."

Bucky ran his fingers through his hair and closed his eyes for a moment. He looked at Natasha and asked, "Drugs?" Did she detect some angst in his voice?

She smiled at him, "Yes dear. Your little 'friend' has landed in the middle of a hornet's nest and if I'm not mistaken, has pulled you right in after her."

"FUCK..." there it was again. He actually sounded worried.

"Well... Yes, it is that bad." Natasha was surprised by the amount of emotion her discovery had elicited from the Winter Soldier. He really CARED for this other woman. With a feeling akin to jealousy, Natasha decided she would have to meet her to see what the fuss was all about.

 

When Bucky had told Grace that he was going to be 'out' for the next day or so, and suggested that she spend a night or two with one of her girlfriends, she had honestly considered it. However, in the end, she had opted to ask Mark and Justin if she could spend a couple of nights on their couch. She didn't want to be alone and they didn't seem to mind her being a guest, so no sense in packing up her things and running away. On Tuesday, she was sitting at her desk at work, tying up some loose ends before going out to lunch. A shadow fell over her paperwork and she looked up to see Bucky standing there. She was so surprised that she was actually speechless for one of the few times in her life. She could already hear the whispering of her female co-workers as they tried to guess who he was and what he wanted with Grace.

"Miss Bradford?" he questioned in a voice just loud enough for curious ears to hear. "I'm sorry I'm late and hope that you are still available to join me for lunch?"

Grace finally found her tongue and said "Yes, of course. That would be fine." She locked her computer screen, grabbed her purse and smiled at him as he walked her to the door and held it for her as she stepped outside. All eyes in the bank were fixed on Grace and Bucky as he opened the door of a 1999, black with red interior, Grand Prix Super Sport in mint condition, helping her into it. As they drove away, the looks exchanged between her co-workers ranged from shock to complete jealousy.

Once they were a few blocks away, Grace turned to look at him and asked "Bucky? What the fuck?"

He laughed and turned into the lot of a local restaurant where the lunch crowd was already thinning out.

Grace asked, "When did you get back? What is going on? And where did you get this car?" His only response was to stare at her like he hadn't seen her in years. "Bucky, are you ok?" He smiled, nodding his head as he turned in his seat and took her hands in his.

"I missed you Grace."

Again, she found herself at a loss for words as she searched his eyes for some sense of what this was all about. Just as she was about to speak, he slipped his hand behind her head and held her there as he leaned in closer and his lips touched hers. Warm, searching, hungry... his lips owned her in that moment. She couldn't pull away. Couldn't stop the way her body responded to his touch.

With a concerted effort, Bucky pulled away saying, "We need to talk." Grace looked and felt like she was in a fog of confusion, some kind of crazy dream. As he helped her out of the car, he said, "I have someone I want you to meet." They went inside the restaurant and Bucky said "Romanov" to the hostess. They were immediately lead to a booth near the back of the restaurant. Sitting there was a stunning red-head dressed in tight black leather pants and a thin white silk blouse, looking calm, cool and completely at ease. By comparison, Grace felt like a rumpled, crumpled mess, wearing a dark pink sleeveless blouse and a light pink and brown plaid pencil skirt. She actually looked very hot as far as Bucky was concerned, but you would never get her to believe it. She managed to somehow say "hello" when Bucky introduced the two women.

Natasha had taken it upon herself to order three of the 'specials' to save a little time. The food arrived almost as soon as they were all seated. After a very little bit of small talk, Bucky explained that Natasha was the friend who he had taken Kevin's tablet to and that she had been able to find most of the answers they had been looking for.

Natasha watched as Grace listened to Bucky's recap of what they had learned. She could tell that the blonde was a little uncomfortable and who could blame her? Finding out that your little game of 'keep away' was actually quite serious, as well as dangerous, was not the easiest thing to hear. Especially not in front of a complete stranger. She seemed to be holding up pretty well. Eyeing Grace up and down, she had to admit that she was quite pretty, but not in the smoldering super-model way. She had very delicate features and a friendly demeanor that was quite charming along with a bright smile and gorgeous blue eyes and that combination made her extremely attractive. Bucky had told her a little of the back story involving Kevin and even though she didn't know Grace, she bristled at the thought of some 'jock' mistreating her. Grace laughed at something Bucky had said and smiled at him. The look on his face left no doubt that he was smitten with this girl and to Natasha, it looked like the feeling was mutual. That could be dangerous for both of them.

After a few bites of her meal, Grace looked at her watch and turned to Bucky saying, "I'm really sorry, but I need to get back." Bucky looked up at the clock on the wall and nodded. He stood, pulling out some money that he handed to Natasha saying, "Stay. Eat. I'll be back to pick you up."

The red-head arched her brows, clearly not accustomed to being dismissed that way, but she said, "Of course. Nice to meet you Grace."

"You too Natasha." Bucky took Grace's arm as he led her out. It was a short ride back to the bank and as soon as the car stopped, she flung the door open and got out on her own. He started to get out of the car to walk her in, but she shot at him, "Don't bother. Thanks for lunch," as she practically ran into the building.

Bucky stared after her. He had a mind to follow her inside and have it out. Obviously she was pissed about something and damned if he wanted to go all through his shift at work wondering what the hell was wrong. He thought about it, and then shook his head. He had to get Natasha's car back to her and get home for a few hours sleep. No one at the bank dared to question Grace about Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome. The stormy look on her face told them everything they needed to know.

 

Bucky picked Natasha up and drove back to his apartment in silence, thinking that she would take her car and go as soon as they got there. Apparently she had other plans. First she wanted to 'see' his apartment and grab a glass of water. Then she wanted to 'chat' for a while. 

"Natasha, really? I need to catch a few zzz's before I go to work."

"Well what's stopping you?" she asked with a sexy pout. Bucky just raised his brows in response. "Come on James. What do you think I'll do while you sleep, rob you? It was a long drive here and it will be just as long going back. Let me have a couple of hours out of the car, okay?" Bucky couldn't argue with her reasoning, though he felt certain there was more to it than that.

"Fine. Do what you want... I'm going to bed."

Natasha ambled through the apartment again, taking note of how neat it was. James didn't have a lot but he kept it all in its place. She opened the fridge out of curiosity and saw a couple of diet sodas on the middle shelf. Hmm... James didn't drink soda of any kind, but she had noticed that Grace had one with her lunch. These must be on hand for her. Which meant that she must be spending at least some time here in his apartment. Stepping outside, she looked across and noticed that Grace's balcony was decorated with a variety of cheerful pots full of blooming flowers and a couple of small pieces of wicker furniture. It was also close enough that she could step from the ledge of James's balcony over to the ledge of Grace's. In one easy move Natasha was on the other balcony, peering in between the open blinds to see inside. For a moment she wondered why she even bothered, but convinced herself it was just natural curiosity about the woman who had managed to catch the interest of the Winter Soldier.

She soon returned to James' side of the building, where she kicked off her shoes and curled up on his couch and closed her eyes for a quick cat-nap. About an hour later, she awoke, fresh and to be honest, quite horny. Natasha could hear James snoring through his bedroom door. She smiled remembering the many nights she had tried to rouse him just enough to get him to turn over and stop the rumble. More often than not, those attempts turned into something much more interesting for the both of them. She thought about his obvious assets. So handsome it should be illegal, with his broad shoulders, powerful physique and perfect features including those amazing eyes. If she closed her eyes she could almost feel his hard body pressing hers into the sheets, feel his hot breath as he devoured her with his hungry, demanding kisses. She wanted him to be happy. She thought he MIGHT be happy with Grace, someday. The deafening quiet during the ride to his apartment told her that things were not exactly how he wanted them to be in that relationship. Maybe she could make him feel better? Show him that maybe Grace was not the one he needed to be daydreaming about... maybe just give him a momentary release? It all worked for her. 

She pulled off her blouse without unbuttoning it, and quickly slipped her pants off, climbing in beside James as he lay sleeping on his back. She could almost see the frown on his face as, even in sleep, he worried about Grace and the predicament that she was in. Poor sweet James. Cursed with such a tender heart for a legendary assassin. Life certainly had a funny way of turning the tables on people. Natasha snuggled up to him and put her hand on his bare chest, gently rubbing as she put her leg across his and began kissing his neck, getting a response almost immediately. The man was tired, he wasn't dead! 

Bucky opened his eyes and for a moment, just a glimmer of disappointment could be seen there. He had hoped it was Grace. However, it seemed that Natasha would do just as well. He wasted no time on foreplay... Natalia made it clear that she was ready for him and by god, he was ready to give her exactly what she wanted. He rolled her onto her back and she wound her legs around him and pulled him tight. He hesitated for the briefest moment then drove himself into her over and over until they were both spent and satisfied. Neither of them had much to say afterwards and he was plainly not in the mood to snuggle at all, so it was no surprise that after just a little while, Bucky got up and headed to the shower. He stayed there for so long that Natasha wondered if he wanted her to join him. Just as she started to leave the bed, he came out with a towel wrapped around his waist and started putting together his clothes for the night. 

"James. I don't expect you to tell me you love me or any nonsense like that, but the least you could do is acknowledge that I'm here."

Bucky was so upset with her, with himself, with his fucking life that he chewed on his tongue for a moment so he wouldn't say something uncalled for, or that he might regret later. She had gotten exactly what she wanted... he wasn't quite as unobservant as she thought he was when it came to those things. He had taken his anger and frustration with Grace out by using Natalia. And now the only one who was really going to be hurt by this was Grace if she found out.

Heaving a sigh he looked at her saying "I'm sorry Natasha. That shouldn't have happened." She laughed and shot back at him, "Are you serious? It's exactly what both of us needed. Why shouldn't it have happened? Because you think you have betrayed your little princess from across the hall? She'll never know unless you tell her. Do you plan on telling her? No? Then get over your guilt complex and move on." Natasha was fuming, and she wasn't exactly sure why. James just nodded his head and went about getting ready to go, which actually made her angrier than having him yell back at her would have. What the hell was happening here? "Good lord James!! Are you... are you in LOVE with this girl? You could have any woman you want any time you want and here you are pining over the only one that seems immune to your charms! This is one for the books!" 

Bucky just kept getting dressed. He sat on the edge of the bed to tie his shoes and Natasha crawled up behind him purring in his ear, "James. You know you can't stay mad at me. Why don't you call in sick and I'll make it up to you?" She could see he was clinching his jaw and wondered if maybe she had gone too far. He spoke softly but there was no missing the venom behind his words. "I'm going to work. Take a nap. Have a shower. Help yourself to anything you want in the kitchen. But be gone when I get home in the morning." 

 

Sitting at her desk, Grace was having a wicked internal battle with herself. She was furious with Bucky. Why? Well, let's see. First, why hadn't he bothered to tell he that the 'friend' he was taking the tablet to was a woman? A damn beautiful woman. A woman he obviously knew well enough to trust with the only evidence they had to use against Kevin. Fine, okay. Not the end of the world.

But second, why did he find it necessary to bring that beautiful woman home? Why did he think Grace needed to meet her? What? Did he need Natasha's permission or approval to... to... do whatever it was that she and Bucky were doing? And why? Why? Why? was Grace so absolutely certain that there was a lot of history between those two and that Bucky didn't want her to know about it. AND why was she just as certain that Natasha was more than willing to pick things up with Bucky right where they had left off?

Okay, okay. Grace had to acknowledge that she had no claim on Bucky. In fact, even though he had made it abundantly clear that he wanted to be with her, she had turned him away time and again. But that was only because she was wary of jumping into another relationship... her previous one still causing no end of trouble for the both of them. And she didn't want to be responsible for him doing anything that would get him into trouble, nor did she want him to be in danger because of her. Surely he could understand that?? 

 

After spending the remainder of her day at the office fretting over the situation with Kevin, the tablet and the money that she had basically stolen, she made a decision. Grace stopped by the police station on the way home from work. All this stuff going on with Kevin and drug dealers... it was just too much and she was willing to carry the burden and the consequences of her tiny part in it, but did not want Bucky involved. She had met with Det. John McLean and had to admit that she found his gravelly voice, easy smile and friendly demeanor totally irresistible. When she had first tried to explain what was going on, she got tongue-tied and nervous, trying her best to not say more than she should.

"Miss Bradford. Grace. May I call you Grace?" he spoke softly. "I can see that this is difficult for you. It's obvious that there is someone else involved that you don't want to incriminate in any way. How about you and I step outside? I'll have a smoke and we can have a completely 'unofficial' conversation. How does that sound?"

Grace smiled at him gratefully, "Yes. That would be much better." And it really was. After they found a shady spot to sit, Grace was able to relax and tell Det. McLean the whole story. She never mentioned Bucky's name and the detective never asked.

As he crushed his cigarette out on the short brick wall where they sat, he told her that this case was more in the line of FBI jurisdiction than his, and asked her if she would trust him to discuss it with an agent that he knew. He also wondered if she would hand the tablet over to him for safekeeping. Grace had taken the tablet back from Bucky in the car when they had left the restaurant that afternoon and stuffed it in her bag. She pulled it out now and handed it to Det. McLean.

"Thank you Grace. I'll make sure this gets to the right people and I will keep your name out of it as much as possible." Grace nodded at him and heaved a deep sigh. "Is there more that you want to tell me?" He questioned her gently. 

"I was just wondering about the money. Should I bring that to you? Or will you send someone for it?"

The detective smiled at her, "Let's cross that bridge later. For right now, if you feel comfortable that it's in a safe place, just hang on to it."

John McLean was a people person. His job was to put the bad guys away. If the subject came up, he would have no choice but to confiscate the money that Grace had tucked away. However, it was doubtful that their suspect, Kevin, would want to further incriminate himself by broaching the topic of his ill earned gains. John couldn't see any reason that Grace shouldn't keep it as payment for all the grief the man had given her. Seemed fair to him.

 

On the rest of her drive home, Grace wondered why it hurt so bad to think of Bucky being with someone else? When he brought Natasha into their little world, he had really stepped all over Grace's feelings. He had to know how it would make her feel... didn't he? Had she really been so hateful to him that he felt the need to pay her back? That didn't sound right...didn't sound like Bucky at all. 

"Okay", she sucked in a deep cleansing breath and chided herself, "This is stupid. I am assuming way too much here, making judgments and jumping to conclusions. I'm not being fair, not giving Bucky the chance to explain the situation." She hoped she would get home in time to catch Bucky and make things right with him. 

When she pulled into the apartment parking lot, she didn't see his car, so he was probably gone to work already. She decided she would get up early the next morning and talk to him as soon as he got home. Funny thing though, as Grace walked past Bucky's door and stopped to unlock her own, she was certain that she heard someone in his apartment. She went inside her place and dropped her mail on the counter, checked her messages and then stepped back out into the hall to see if maybe Bucky was actually home. She stood outside his door for just a moment, composing herself and trying to find the right words to apologize to him, when suddenly the door flew open revealing Natasha, wearing nothing but the shirt that Bucky had worn that afternoon to lunch and a smirk on her face. 

There are certain odors that we all recognize in an instant. The aroma of coffee; the scent of fresh cut grass on a summer's afternoon; the sweet smoky smell of a marijuana filled concert hall; a skunk walking down the side of a country road at night... and the undeniable odor that one associates with sex. Yes... Grace caught just the slightest whiff of it... she looked down at Natasha's bare feet and ... 

"I thought I heard someone out here..." the woman purred at Grace. "Are you looking for James? I'm afraid he has gone to work, "Natasha smiled innocently at her. "I was just about to take a shower and get ready to hit the road back home, but I would love to have a short visit with you if you would like to come in."

Recovering her senses, Grace managed to speak in a pleasant voice, and even put a smile on her face, "Oh gosh... I don't know what I was thinking! Of course Bucky has already gone. I had to make a stop on the way home and lost track of time. You'll have to excuse me, though... I, I'm supposed to meet Justin and Mark upstairs for dinner and they.. they'll worry if I'm much later than I already am. Have a safe trip home."

Grace turned then, and walked down the hall to the stairway, climbing half way up, then sat and tried to steady her breathing. She absolutely refused to cry. She would NOT cry. She would not... about that time, Justin appeared at the top of the stairway and asked, "Grace? Are you okay?" She stood up and joined him on the 3rd floor, managing to get inside his apartment before she broke down in tears.

Natasha took her shower, made the bed and left James' apartment just the way she had found it. She felt a twinge of guilt. Grace was absolutely crushed, that had been apparent, though she had done an impressive job of keeping her feelings intact. 'The truth will tell' she thought to herself. If James and Grace make it past this little bump in the road, then there could be no doubt that they were right for each other. If not, she would be there to comfort her old friend when he called on her.


	3. The Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Misunderstandings; Consequences; Hope

Bucky slowly climbed the stairs to the second floor. It was 6:30 a.m. and he knew that Grace would be awake, getting ready to start the day. He had thought about her all night and through the early hours of the morning. This whole situation had gotten out of hand. He was going to try to convince her to go to the police. The game she was playing with Kevin, "the drug dealer", was just too dangerous and he didn't want to see her get in any deeper than she already was.

 

What he DID want, was Grace. He wanted her to stop fighting the feelings that he knew she felt for him. He wanted her to allow him to take care of her. He wanted to end more than one conversation without harsh words or hurt feelings. He wanted... Grace. Walking past his own door, he took the few extra steps to her apartment. He tapped on the door and waited. When she didn't answer, he knocked again, a little harder. After a minute he started to knock again, but then stopped to listen. There was no sound coming from inside. He knew that Grace always turned on the radio in the morning. She listened to the local news on the oldies station, turning it up to hear the music as she got ready for work. Bucky didn't hear anything happening on the other side of the door.

He wondered if she had spent another night with Mark & Justin... he took the stairs two at a time and tapped on their door. Justin opened up and stared at him. He did not seem happy to see Bucky.

"Sorry to interrupt" Bucky began, but Justin stopped him.

"What the hell are you doing here James or Bucky or asshole or whatever we are calling you today?"

Bucky was taken aback and looked behind Justin to see Mark giving him the evil eye. Clearly he shared the 'asshole' opinion that Justin spoke of.

"Hey guys... Is... Is Grace here?" Mark shook his head and left the room while Justin continued to glare at him. Bucky stared back and finally asked "What? What happened? WHERE is Grace?"

"She's not here. She's not coming back. And it's your fault." Justin told him matter of factly.

Bucky was losing his patience and his temper was soon to follow. He placed his metal hand on Justin's shoulder and very softly repeated, "Where is Grace""

Justin was afraid, but stood his ground. "I told you, she's gone. It seems that, thinking you were home, she stopped to see you last night and was greeted by a 'skanky red-head wearing only your shirt and a shit-eating grin'...her words, not mine."

Bucky's mouth dropped open slightly as a dull throbbing started behind his ears and his breath came in spurts and gasps. He closed his eyes and spat out, "Damn it! That bitch!!"

Justin flinched at the venom in Bucky's voice, assuming that he was referring to the red-head and not Grace. He almost felt sorry for the man, but hey, he should have kept his pants on, right?

Bucky ran his hand through his hair, grabbing a handful and squeezing it in a tight grip. He was so angry he could feel the blood pulsing through his veins. He stared at Justin, the question still unanswered. 

"I don't know where she is. After she calmed down, she went back to her apartment, packed a bag, made a couple of phone calls and told Mark and I that she would send for the rest of her things. And man, I'm telling you, she did not look good. Just like you don't look too good right now."

Bucky had placed his other hand on the door jam and was leaning hard into it. Mark had come back into the room and told Justin, "I think he might throw up!"

"Dude...do you need to sit down?"

Bucky shook his head no, and then said "Maybe for a minute." He had never felt like this, not since long before the war when he was a kid with no special immunities to sickness and grief. He made his way to the nearest chair and sat, leaning his head down between his knees. Mark and Justin exchanged glances, both of them at a loss for words. After a few minutes, Bucky slowly straightened up and looking from one to the other of them, he asked, "What do I do?"

The three men sat in near silence for a while, hearing only the sounds of the clock ticking away on the bookshelf and Bucky's ragged breathing as he continued to struggle with his emotions. An unlikely bond formed between them that evening, and after Bucky left, Mark turned to Justin and said, "I really hope he finds her." Justin put his arm around Mark and answered, "You always were a softy." The two of them sighed, wondering how it would all turn out.

 

After thanking the two men for always looking after Grace and being a good friend to her, Bucky had headed down to his own apartment. When he unlocked the door and pushed it open, he noticed the envelope on the floor. He picked it up and slowly raised it to his face. Grace.. it smelled like her perfume. He moved to the couch and sat on the edge. Taking a deep breath he opened the envelope and took the note out.

"Bucky,

I'm sorry that I'm not brave enough to stay and face you in person,  
but that should come as no big surprise.

First, you need to know that I went to the police this afternoon. I  
told them all about Kevin and the tablet and what we suspect is  
going on. I left the tablet with the detective there, so that burden  
is no longer on your shoulders.

I'm sorry that I couldn't be what you wanted me to be. I wish that  
I could have been. You are an amazing man and you deserve to  
be happy. I would have loved to be the one who could do that...be the  
one to make you happy. But clearly, I'm not.

I'm leaving town. I got an interesting job offer about week ago and I feel  
that the move could be exactly what I need right now.

Please don't look for me.

Take care of yourself and know that, in my own crazy way,  
I DO love you.

Always,  
Grace"

 

Frozen in place, Bucky held the note and read it over and over again. This...this was not what he had expected. No accusations. No hate filled rhetoric. No blame. No anger... only a tender confession of love. Although not a religious man, Bucky was compelled to bow his head and ask for forgiveness and guidance. He didn't know what else to do.

 

Grace stepped off the plane in Panama City, Florida and took a deep breath. Looking around, she spotted a driver holding a placard with her name printed in large letters. She waved at him and he smiled brightly. Walking over to where he stood, Grace told him where her luggage would be arriving and together they walked to the carousel and waited. The man talked to her the whole time, putting her at ease and actually making her laugh out loud.

They soon arrived at the townhouse that the radio station had found for her, right on the beach. She was awestruck. The place was not as large as the apartment she had before, but lord!! The view was to die for! After the driver had carried her luggage inside, she gave him a big tip and a hug, thanking him for all of his help. His name was Earnest and he gave her his card, saying "If you need help with anything, let me know. My wife knows where all the best bargains in town can be found and of course I know this city like the back of my hand. Welcome to Panama City Beach!!"

 

Dumping her clothes on the bed, Grace found a pair of shorts and a crop top and immediately headed out to take a walk on the beach. If not for the empty aching sorrow that was buried in her heart, she could not have been happier. Stepping into the emerald green gulf waters, she laughed as the sand moved under her feet and the warm waves rolled in over and again. The beach was not at all crowded and she walked and explored and fell in love with her new surroundings.

Returning to the townhouse, she saw that she had a couple of messages on her cell phone. One of them was from Det. McLean, John as he insisted that she call him, letting her know that a warrant was being issued for Kevin's arrest. She felt a pang of guilt at that. After all, he HAD been the man she loved for a very long time. It just turned out that he wasn't the person that she thought he was.

Next there was a message from the owner of the radio station she was going to work for. He was telling her about how happy he was that she had accepted the job offer and that, knowing how difficult it is to make such a big move, he wanted her to take the next 3 or 4 days to get situated. He would call her later in the week to make arrangements to meet and go over her schedule and all the things she needed to know about running a late night radio show. 

 

Bucky was not fairing as well. Of course he was much better at hiding his pain than most people, but he was just going through the motions. He had a heart to heart with Justin and Mark and they swore to him that they did NOT know where Grace had gone to. Seeing how Bucky was suffering, they probably would have told him if they knew. No one else in the building had any information to share with him. He went so far as to visit the bank where she had worked. Two of the tellers there openly flirted with him, before admitting that she had left no forwarding address. He called the police station, and then hung up before anyone answered. He knew they wouldn't tell him anything. He couldn't remember the last names of the girls who had helped Grace move in...he wasn't even sure that they had told him. He didn't know anything about her family. Seems like the two of them had always been too busy arguing for him to learn the most mundane things about her. And still, he would give anything to see her again.

Natasha had called him a few days after Grace left. He hung up on her. After three more tries, she gave up. Bucky wasn't sure he would ever be able to forgive her. She knew exactly what she had been doing and exactly what would happen. He would never understand why she did it. Not that he didn't deserve it. Justin had been right. He was pretty much an asshole. Sighing, he grabbed his cigarettes and sat out on the balcony, watching the kids play a lopsided game of ball, being one player short. Shit. He had to find her. Maybe. She didn't want him to look for her. Shouldn't he honor her request? Damn. How did he dig himself into such a hole?

 

Several weeks had passed when one morning, as Bucky got home from work, he found a man standing outside Grace's old apartment. It was still empty, and secretly Bucky was hoping that Grace would come back at some point. If this guy was looking to move in, that meant that his hope was for nothing. He nodded at the man, who nodded back with a half smile. Bucky watched as he pulled out a key and opened the door. His heart sank, but there was something about the way this guy had smiled at him... 

"Hey, I'm James... are we going to be neighbors?"

The stranger smiled again and said, "No. I'm just here looking for something. I'm John, Det. John McLean. I've been helping the previous tenant work through some... personal problems. She left something here and I want to make sure she gets it."

Bucky was tripping all over himself, trying to play it cool while learning everything he could.

"Grace? You've seen Grace?"

"No, I haven't seen her, but I have been in touch with her. You a friend of hers?"

Bucky lowered his head a bit and said softly, "Used to be."

John nodded in understanding. This HAD to be the guy that Grace had refused to name when she made her statement. She had told him it was a neighbor who had helped her and 'James' seemed more than a little interested.

"Is she in some kind of witness protection?" Bucky wondered aloud.

John smiled broadly, "Well, if she was, I wouldn't be able to discuss it with you, would I?"

Bucky nodded... not really sure what the man was trying to tell him. "Detective. Is there any way I can talk to her? She left so suddenly I didn't get a chance to say goodbye, or to tell her... to tell her that ..."

John was sizing Bucky up. He looked so familiar and then it dawned on him. Holy shit... Grace had been keeping company with the infamous Winter Soldier. Interesting. Never one to believe what the news reports tried to pass off as truth; he made his own judgment about the man standing in front of him. From the way Grace had spoken about him and from the impression that he was getting right now, he seemed like a stand up guy who was obviously concerned about her. 

"Look, James, I'll be talking to her in the next few days. If you want, I can put in a good word for you...maybe suggest that she call you?

Bucky shook his head, "No sir. That's probably not a good idea. Besides, I really need to see her to know that she's okay."

"Okay then my friend." He handed Bucky his card. "If you change your mind, give me a call. I need to take care of a few things. But, first let me assure you that she is not in witness protection and she is definitely doing okay. The rest is up to you. Nice talking to you James."

"Yeah, you too. " Bucky unlocked the door and entered his apartment. He threw his keys on the table and started pacing the floor, arguing with himself, wondering if should have taken the detective up on his offer to contact Grace. He wanted to... but he didn't want her to feel like he was intruding. Damn! He walked to his door and pulled it open, just as Det. McLean was closing the door across the hall.

Bucky couldn't think of what to say....And then out of the blue the man turned to him and asked, "Do you like to fish? I hear that there is a place down in Panama City Beach where the fishing is unbelievable. They say a man can find whatever he's looking for there." He winked at Bucky and turned to go. That's when Bucky noticed the toolbox.

McLean stopped and turned back to add, "You know, I have this gut feeling that Grace is going to be up for a little celebrating sometime in the next few weeks." He softly drummed his fingers on the toolbox. "I'm betting she wouldn't mind a little company, maybe a visit from an old friend." He looked pointedly at Bucky, "And, I'm betting you won't screw things up this time." With that, Det. John McLean smiled and left Bucky standing there with a wide grin spreading across his face. He was going to find Grace, and this time, he wasn't going to let her get away.


	4. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end? Or New beginnings?

Grace loved her new job! It took her a few days to adjust to being a night owl, but once she got the hang of it, she decided it wasn't that bad. She was a natural on the radio. Music from the 70's, 80's and 90's were on her playlist and that was awesome because that's what she loved to listen to. It was a small, privately owned station with minimal staff. After just a day or two of training on the all the equipment and learning how to keep things moving so her audience was never hanging out there with 'dead air' her boss trusted her enough to leave her on her own. And yes!! She did have an audience!! She was supposed to take one or two calls every hour she was on air, and was amazed that there were actually people listening who wanted to chat with her. 

Once in a while she did get a little homesick. She missed her friends. She missed her neighbors. She missed Bucky. On those days when she was feeling especially lonely, she was likely to play a lot of Richard Marx, Michael Bolton and Journey... but mostly she filled the airwaves with head bopping rock and roll. And of course, she had the warm weather, the beach and the sound of the ocean to keep her company. She never tired of sitting on her deck, just listening to the waves crashing in. She was content. And after the mess she had just been through, that was saying something.

 

Bucky had reached out to Steve. He hated to do it, but he didn't want to waste a minute trying to find exactly where Grace was in Panama City Beach. It wasn't a huge city, but he couldn't go knocking door to door... he would never find her that way. Steve was always glad to hear from his old friend. He understood why Bucky felt the way he did about not getting involved with S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Avengers, but he had always hoped that he would change his mind. It didn't take him long to find the woman that Buck had asked about. The first thing he did was Google her ... and there she was. 

"Bucky... you need to try using your computer a little more. Your friend has her own late night radio show! She has a website and it was really easy to find her personal information. You got a pen? Write this down."

Bucky pulled up her web-site while he was on his break at work. There was a picture and several posts and tons of comments. She looked beautiful. She looked happy. He noticed the button that suggested he listen live and his heart skipped a few beats when he heard her silky smooth voice reading a weather update, then promising that he (and everyone else listening) was going to love the songs she had coming up. He smiled to himself. He KNEW she should be doing something like this.

He had turned in his two week notice at the warehouse. And because he had been working so many double shifts money was no issue. He purchased a plane ticket and some 'beach clothes'. He started to book a hotel room, but decided to take a risk. He would know by the end of the first day how things were going to play out. He didn't plan on staying there unless he was going to be with Grace.

 

Early one morning, as soon as she got home from the station, Grace changed her clothes and headed outside to look for shells. You had to get out there early to find the pretty ones. She picked up a couple of small ones and was about to give up and head back to her place when in the distance, she noticed someone, a man, walking along the beach on the hard-packed sand. He was carrying a large duffle bag and there was something about the way he walked... The sun was rising behind him and she kept squinting and trying to figure out why he seemed so familiar. As a cloud passed in front of the sun for just a moment, her eyes were able to make out his features.

She dropped the few shells she had gathered and started walking towards him. She saw him smile... and she began to run. He was walking faster now and when they met, Grace jumped into his arms, throwing her arms around his neck and wrapping her legs around his waist. He held her tightly breathing hard with emotion as she whispered "It's you..It's really you... you came for me... you really came for me.." He didn't want to let her go, but finally, he set Grace back on the sand and started to apologize ... Grace put her finger to his lips and shook her head. Bucky groaned, taking her face in his hands he kissed her passionately, and as she responded to his touch, he knew he was home.

 

MUSIC CHOICE -- Trying Not to Love You -- Nickelback   
If you don't know this song, give it a listen. It was written for this story!!

  

The End.

**Author's Note:**

> *If you enjoyed this story, please leave comments. I would love to hear from you!*


End file.
